Across the state, too many families are struggling to find child care that is affordable, reliable, and close to home- and the challenge is even greater in rural and underserved communities. This problem is known as the child care gap. The child care gap measures the potential difference between how many licensed child care slots exist and how many children age five and under live in homes where all available parents are working. In Arizona, that gap is already 16.5% statewide. But in rural communities, the numbers are far more alarming. Safford faces a child care gap of 66.1%, while Payson’s gap is 60.6%-leaving the majority of working families with young children without reliable, accessible child care. That means there are so many families in some areas of Arizona that simply do not have access to child care- even if they want to work and can afford it. 

When families cannot find child care, the impacts ripple through the entire community: 

• Children do not have access to quality early learning that leads them to enter kindergarten ready to thrive 

• Parents are forced to cut back their work hours, leave jobs, or turn down better opportunities 

• Businesses struggle to hire and keep workers 

• The state loses billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and tax revenue 

Child care is not just a family issue- it is a workforce issue, a business issue, and an economic issue. 

So how do we fix it? 

Arizona needs a policy solution that helps bring more child care providers into the market, especially in rural areas. Investing in infrastructure means helping with the cost of building, renovating, and equipping child care centers. It means supporting providers with start-up expenses so they can open their doors and serve more families. It means making long-term investments so child care programs can stay open and grow over time. 

HB 2239 creates the Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program and Fund. This bill would provide targeted support to expand child care facilities, especially in rural and underserved communities where the need is greatest. Arizona has a proven track record of success in this area. The 2022–2023 Arizona Child Care Infrastructure Grant created new child care slots, improved the quality of care, increased provider capacity, and reduced waitlists. HB 2239 builds on that success by replicating a model that we already know works. 

This bill is about more than buildings. It’s about giving parents more choices, helping businesses, and improving the quality of life for families. It’s about strengthening our workforce and supporting long-term economic growth. It’s about making sure rural Arizona is not left behind.

The child care gap did not happen overnight, and it will not be solved overnight. But with smart, proven investments in child care infrastructure, we can build a system that works for families, businesses, and our state. When we support families, we strengthen our economy. When our communities thrive, Arizona thrives. When we invest in our children, we invest in our future.

Good News: Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill extending tax credits that make marketplace health insurance plans more affordable. Specifically, a bipartisan majority came together to pass Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTC) for three years, providing vital financial support that helps consumers purchase or maintain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. 

This matters because 425,000 Arizonans receive their care through the ACA Marketplace, many of whom have seen their premiums increase significantly in 2026 without EPTC support. Now too many Arizonans are at risk of or are already unable to afford their health insurance and will go without coverage. 

We thank Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Adelita Grijalva, and Greg Stanton for voting for this bill. 

We are disappointed that Representatives Biggs, Ciscomani, Crane, Gosar, Hamadeh, and Schweikert opposed the bill.

Now the bill will move to the U.S. Senate. Senator Mark Kelly and Senator Ruben Gallego have repeatedly expressed support for keeping health care affordable, including through EPTC’s.

Please continue to share how rising ACA Marketplace premiums and the loss of subsidies impact you through letters to the editor of your local media, social media, and by keeping others informed. This bill can make a difference in keeping children and families insured, and there is more work ahead!

Children’s Action Alliance is kicking off the year ready to advance the well-being of children in Arizona and defend the gains we’ve collectively won in recent years. 

In 2025, our staff traveled across the state to gather with community in child care town halls and in convenings focused on the well-being of children.  With input from these gatherings and a year of federal policy changes, we start 2026 driving a common voice to create brighter futures for all Arizona kids and their families.

This year, priorities focus on various gaps and challenges in the lives of Arizona’s children, including AHCCCS and KidsCare health insurance, keeping kids safe, increasing supports to kinship families who care for children, strengthening access to affordable child care, preventing hunger, and supporting youth who are transitioning out of foster care, and much more.

During the 2026 legislative session, the Arizona State Legislature and Governor Hobbs will also vote on a state budget. Arizona kids need a state budget that sustains investments in K-12 education and in vital programs that promote child and family well-being.

We are committed to working with our incredible partners and every community member and leader who agrees that Arizona can be a place where all children and families thrive.

All children deserve to grow up without fear but today, children in immigrant families are being denied this.

On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, leaders of Arizona organizations who serve and focus on children and youth joined a press call to share firsthand accounts of how the federal government’s mass deportation agenda is harming children and immigrant families across the state. Speakers detailed how current policies are tearing families apart, creating a chilling effect in communities, and undermining public safety. 

“There’s a sense of brutality to the immigration enforcement taking place right now that has no place in our country, and that we want to keep very, very far away from children, said January Contreras, Executive Director, Children’s Action Alliance “We used to have immigration enforcement that honored sensitive zones – they didn’t go to K-12 schools, healthcare facilities, churches, or social service providers. Now, these spaces are all fair game, and parents and children live in fear of what will happen to them. Keep in mind, 93% of children in Arizona were born in the United States, so these are often mixed-status families. All children deserve safety – the current mode of immigration enforcement denies that to many young children in our state.”

Gladis Molina, Executive Director of the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights, shared: "Witnessing the federal government's response in immigrant communities – the National Guard deployment, the war machinery, the agents in masks – triggers memories of what I witnessed as a child during the Civil War in El Salvador. Across Arizona's vulnerable immigrant communities, kids are experiencing this trauma firsthand. They'll carry these memories for a lifetime,”

Carolina Silva, Executive Director of Scholarships A-Z, explained the fear in schools: “Immediately after the election, we saw students stop showing up to school altogether due to fear of deportation. One of these students, “Leilani,” is a star pupil in Tucson – but the silence after the election told her she wasn’t safe. She did not return to school until her district leadership sent a message confirming their commitment to all students, regardless of immigration status."

This is not normal. And it's harming Arizona's children.

Learn more about what's happening:

• ICE activity growing around Valley schools
• Courts halt removal of 53 Guatemalan children from Arizona
• Immigration raid fears trigger Latino student absences
• AAP leaders: Children are bearing consequences of immigration enforcement

Children’s Action Alliance is proud to be the KIDS COUNT ® partner in Arizona to the Annie E Casey Foundation. In this role, we dive into the data that tells us how children are faring in areas like health coverage, hunger, economic security, education, and more. We hope community leaders and members across Arizona can use this data to help tackle challenges and uplift successes for children in their own communities.

Earlier this year, we published the Arizona KIDS COUNT Data Book based on data available as late as 2024. We share this resource so you can learn what share of children in your county live with families who afford groceries with help from SNAP,  lack health insurance, or are graduating from high school within four years. This information is provided to inform and support the work in your community!

This year, in addition to publishing the book, Children’s Action Alliance also kicked off a State of Kids Roadshow to use Arizona’s KIDS COUNT data to gather local leaders and providers together to center children and what the data tells us. All who came brought their own stories of what they see, what they’re proud of that is happening for kids, and what concerns they feel need to be urgently addressed. The roadshow was powerful in combining data driven information with local voices and people of action.

We are proud to have partnered and gathered with so many committed leaders in Arizona’s local communities. We thank our co-hosts and all who attended and made these gatherings meaningful in the following counties:

Coconino County – United Way of Northern Arizona 

Maricopa County – Valley of the Sun United Way 

Pima County – United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona 

Mohave County – First Things First La Paz/Mohave Region 

Yuma County – Regional Center for Border Health, Inc and First Things First Yuma Region 

We also thank the organizations featured in leadership spotlights in the Arizona KIDS COUNT Data Book: Pascua Yaqui Tribe,  Regional Center for Border Health,  Santa Cruz County Family Resource Centers, and the United Way of Northern Arizona. 

Finally, we thank our State of Kids Roadshow Sponsor Mercy Care for being a part of each of these events and making the roadshow possible!

It's all about building an Arizona that is committed to thriving children and families. Visit these resources yourself to strengthen our collective advocacy:

Arizona KIDS COUNT Data Book – Find indicators for children in Arizona by county

2025 KIDS COUNT Data Profile for Arizona – Find Arizona national ranking on child economic well-being

2025 National KIDS COUNT Data Book – A national look at state trends in child well-being

National KIDS COUNT Data Center – Find indicators for the nation, state, and more

The 2025 Families First Forum is almost here, happening Monday, November 3, 2025, at South Mountain Community College. 

This annual, half-day convening brings together advocates, policymakers, and community leaders to learn the latest on factors impacting the state and federal budget, and policy changes impacting the lives of Arizona’s children and families. 

We’re honored to feature two national voices who will help set the stage for this year’s discussion: 

Alberto A. González, Jr., MPP
Deputy Senior Director, State Government Relations – Families USA
Alberto provides strategic leadership for Families USA’s state-level advocacy efforts. He previously served as Chief Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), leading major expansions in health and nutrition assistance programs. His career spans roles at UnidosUS, Community Catalyst, California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and the California State Assembly. 

Katie Hamm, MPA
Principal – Next Step Early Childhood LLC
Katie is the former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Previously, she served as Vice President for Early Childhood Policy at the Center for American Progress and worked at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on budget and policy issues related to human services programs. 

It’s a time for us to stay informed and to work collaboratively. Please join us - and please share this invitation with colleagues and networks who may be interested.

Our hearts are full of joy from sharing a meal in community while celebrating our extraordinary honorees. We are so thankful to everyone who helped make the 2025 Champions for Children Awards Luncheon a remarkable success. Whether you attended, sponsored, donated, or supported us, your contribution fuels our mission. 

To those who attended, thank you for your presence and dedication to supporting our work to strengthen Arizona for children and families. 

Congratulations again to our 2025 Champions!

Thank you to our Leadership Honorees: 

• Victoria Gray, Gray Nickel
• Claire Louge, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona
• Jessica Rivera-Garcia, Arizona Head Start Association
• Dr. Eric Schindler
• Vitalyst Foundation

In addition, we are proud to honor:

• Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor of the Gila River Indian Community, as our Jacquee Steiner Public Official of the Year 
• Honorable Mary Rose Wilcox, former city council member and county supervisor, as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree. 

We were honored to celebrate their commitment to service, unwavering leadership, and lasting impact on the lives of families and children across Arizona. 

Our sincere gratitude to our incredible sponsors. Their support is foundational to this gathering and to our ability to carry out our mission. 

Big shoutout to Los Mariachi Tigres de Tolleson and their director, Dr. Casillas. for kicking off our event for a second year in a row. What a talent! These elementary students have won awards and traveled the United States, captivating audiences in prestigious venues. We could not be more honored to have them perform at our event. 

Lastly, we are forever grateful to the amazing Tom McNamara for bringing joy to the stage as the Master of Ceremonies of our event! 

As we conclude our successful 2025 Champions for Children annual event, we feel honored and in gratitude to do this work alongside incredible change makers. United, we inspire change to build an Arizona where all children and families can thrive.

This week is dedicated to education and action as part of the national #CareNotCuts Week of Action. Please join us in taking action yourself. 

Enhanced Premium Tax Credits make health insurance affordable for more than 20 million people - helping families see a doctor, fill prescriptions, and avoid crushing medical debt. But instead of making the tax credits permanent earlier this year, Congress passed the biggest health care cuts in U.S. history. Now families are at risk of higher premiums, lost coverage, and more medical debt. 

Without Congressional action, the tax credits will end, and families with marketplace plans will quickly see skyrocketing health care premiums, forcing many to lose their health care. 

In 2025, nearly 425,000 Arizonans purchased health care through the ACA marketplace, and the vast majority of them utilized premium tax credits to make their premiums more affordable.This includes many who are self-employed or own small businesses.

This should not be a partisan issue in Congress. Majorities of Democrats (92%) and Republicans (59%) want Congress to extend these expiring tax credits. Congress should listen to the families they serve, not force them to lose their health care. It’s up to us to make sure our friends, family, neighbors, and members of Congress know what affordable health care means for us.

What can you do to take action today?

📲- Use social media with the hashtag #CareNotCuts to share this email or an article that explains how the end of enhanced premium tax credits will hurt Arizonans in their pocketbooks: 

• Arizona PBS: Arizona health insurance premiums to surge as tax credits end 
• KJZZ: Arizonans will see big price increases next year for ACA marketplace health plans 

📈💰 - Use the premium calculator to estimate how much more you would pay in premiums if the enhanced premium tax credits expire 

📝 - Share your story with a local news outlet, on social media, or with your elected officials to bring attention to why being able to afford health insurance impacts you. 

Let’s all stay informed and take action to preserve affordable health insurance premiums.